Using Word Roots to Improve ACT/SAT Test Scores
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We are using Word Roots from Critical Thinking Co, in our homeschool to prepare to college entrance exams. In homeschooling, we try to keep our end goals in site at planning times. When looking at curriculum for our three current high school students, prep for the SAT or ACT tests were a priority. One of the things that gave my oldest kids an advantage in testing was a familiarity with Latin root words.
Latin was their foreign language for high school. With this group of students, I wanted the same benefits, but without the full Latin curriculum. Word Roots Level 4, gives them the benefit of vocabulary recognition and improved spelling with daily lessons that build on each other for mastery in high school.
Word Roots is part of Timberdoodle’s Tenth-Grade Curriculum Kit and is also available in their Nonreligious 2021 Tenth-Grade Kit as well. The large paperback workbook is reproducible, so it is a budget friendly choice for a large family.
The lessons focus on teaching the students Latin and Greek prefixes, roots, and suffixes. This help your kids to be able to quickly determine the meaning of common English words and less common words that often are used in testing to gauge vocabulary scores.
Root Words Build Vocabulary
With my older group, all three students scored extremely high in vocabulary on their ACT tests. Each scored into the top ten percent. I attribute our literature based curriculum with the daily reading of great books and our study of Latin as direct contributors to those scores.
Root Words is highly awarded and endorsed both Homeschooling and traditional Education magazines. Mensa recommended Root Words by Critical Thinking Co. in their list of materials for gifted learners.
Word Roots Book Includes
- Pretest and Post-test to prove understanding and execution of each lesson
- Individual Lessons and Reviews
- A dictionary of Latin and Greek prefixes, suffixes and root words elements for ease of reference.
My kids do not like the repetition, but I argue that repetition gains mastery. To ease some of the repetitive nature, I offered to do the review tests orally as a group. You can get creative to help your student overcome challenges without throwing out a really great opportunity to gain large leaps in vocabulary scores.
Root Words for Spelling Mastery
Does you child have a hard time spelling? I added Latin study in elementary for my oldest kids because of the benefits it offered for spelling. Much of our English words are of Latin origin. Understanding the building blocks of English through Latin can help give a concrete foundation for better spelling. It helped my dyslexic son learn to spell by rules and familiarity.
Understanding Word Roots gives your child an advantage in reading, spelling and in high school testing. Whether you are planning on college or are aiming for National Honor Society, the Critical Thinking Co, is a highly recommended resource. This is level 4, so your child could begin much earlier.
You can watch our review of Practical Critical Thinking Skills from the Critical Thinking Co. and the unboxing of the 10th Grade Full Curriculum Kit.
